U.S. patent application number 10/086857 was filed with the patent office on 2002-09-12 for air cleaner.
This patent application is currently assigned to TOYODA BOSHOKU CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Iriyama, Akira, Nishimoto, Takashi, Oda, Kouichi.
Application Number | 20020124733 10/086857 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18923335 |
Filed Date | 2002-09-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020124733 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Iriyama, Akira ; et
al. |
September 12, 2002 |
Air cleaner
Abstract
An air cleaner includes at least one more installation hole
provided in a resin frame of an adsorbent sheet than there are pins
and engaging hooks respectively provided in an upper housing.
Inventors: |
Iriyama, Akira; (Kariya-shi,
JP) ; Oda, Kouichi; (Kariya-shi, JP) ;
Nishimoto, Takashi; (Toyota-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OLIFF & BERRIDGE, PLC
P.O. BOX 19928
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22320
US
|
Assignee: |
TOYODA BOSHOKU CORPORATION
Kariya-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
18923335 |
Appl. No.: |
10/086857 |
Filed: |
March 4, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
96/134 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D 2259/4516 20130101;
F02M 35/0203 20130101; B01D 2259/4566 20130101; B01D 2258/01
20130101; F02M 35/02 20130101; B01D 53/0415 20130101; Y10S 55/31
20130101; B01D 2257/702 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
96/134 |
International
Class: |
B01D 053/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 8, 2001 |
JP |
2001-064531 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An air cleaner comprising: a housing divided into a first
housing and a second housing, one of which is provided with a frame
having a plurality of installation holes; an element fitted between
the first housing and the second housing; an adsorbent sheet which
is fixed within at least one of the first housing and the second
housing, an outer periphery of the adsorbent sheet being retained
by a frame; a plurality of installation portions provided on at
least one of the first housing and the second housing, which attach
to the installation holes, wherein there is at least one more
installation hole than there are installation portions.
2. The air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the element
includes a plug portion for plugging one of the installation holes
in which the installation portion is not fixed.
3. The air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the adsorbent
sheet adsorbs a fuel vapor from an internal combustion engine.
4. The air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein each of the
installation portions is a pin provided on an inner wall of at
least one of the first housing and the second housing, and which is
fixed in a corresponding one of the installation holes by heat
caulking.
5. The air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein each of the
installation portions is a hook provided on an inner wall of at
least one of the first housing and the second housing, and which is
fixed in a corresponding one of the installation holes by fitting
therein.
6. The air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein each of the
installation holes has an open portion.
7. The air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the element is
made from a non-woven fabric.
8. The air cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the element is
made from a non-woven fabric.
9. The air cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the plug portion
is formed with a non-woven fabric.
Description
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
[0001] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-64531
filed on Mar. 8, 2001 including the specification, drawings and
abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to an air cleaner for adsorbing fuel
vapor which leaks out from an air intake system of an internal
combustion engine such as a vehicle engine.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Conventionally, an air cleaner for adsorbing fuel vapor
which leaks out from an air intake system of an internal combustion
engine, such as a vehicle engine, is generally provided with a
housing, which is divided into a first housing and a second housing
(also referred to as "case" and "cap"), an element disposed in the
housing, and an adsorbent sheet, which is also disposed within the
housing, for preventing the fuel vapor from the internal combustion
engine from being released into the outside air.
[0006] With this type of air cleaner, however, regulations require
that the adsorbent sheet be carefully installed so that it will not
easily detach from the air cleaner. As a result, it is extremely
difficult to remove the adsorbent sheet from the air cleaner when
the adsorbent sheet is to be recycled.
[0007] Further, with this type of air cleaner, even if the shape of
the opening is the same, the way in which the air cleaner attaches
to an intake duct, an exhaust duct, and other functional members
differ when it is installed in a vehicle. As a result, a plurality
of installation portions formed on the first housing or the second
housing for fixing the adsorbent sheet are not able to be formed in
the same location for different types of air cleaners. Therefore,
installation holes in the adsorbent sheet which correspond to these
installation portions are set individually, corresponding to the
locations of the installation portions. This means that for one
type of air cleaner, only an adsorbent sheet which corresponds to
that air cleaner can be used. It is therefore desirable to have a
common adsorbent sheet that can be used with more than one type of
air cleaner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is an object of the invention to provide an air cleaner
which enables a common adsorbent sheet to be used, and which
facilitates the removal of the adsorbent sheet when it is to be
recycled.
[0009] According to a first aspect of the invention, an air cleaner
is provided with: a housing which is divided into a first housing
and a second housing; an element which fits between the first
housing and the second housing; an adsorbent sheet fixed in at
least one of the first housing and the second housing, in which the
periphery of the absorbent sheet is retained by a frame; a
plurality of installation holes provided in the frame; and a
plurality of installation portions which are provided on at least
one of the first housing and the second housing, which fix in the
installation holes. Moreover, there is at least one more
installation hole than there are installation portions.
[0010] Accordingly, because there is at least one more installation
hole provided in the frame of the adsorbent sheet than there are
installation portions provided on the first housing or the second
housing, an installation portion may be located anywhere as long as
its location corresponds to one of the plurality of holes. This
enables a common adsorbent sheet to be used with air cleaners in
which the installation portions are set in different locations.
Moreover, because the number of installation holes is greater than
the number of installation portions, the adsorbent sheet can easily
be removed when it is to be recycled by using a tool and an
installation hole that is not being used.
[0011] In this aspect of the invention, a plug portion for
plugging, among the installation holes, an installation hole in
which the installation portion is not fixed may be provided with
the element.
[0012] Accordingly, plugging, among the installation holes, an
installation hole in which the installation portion is not fixed
with the plug portion provided with the element prevents fuel vapor
from leaking out from the installation hole in which the
installation portion is not fixed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] Various exemplary embodiments of this invention will be
described in detail, with reference to the following figures,
wherein:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a sectional side view showing an air cleaner
according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an upper housing and an
adsorbent sheet of an air cleaner according to one embodiment of
the invention;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an upper housing of an air
cleaner according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an adsorbent sheet of an air
cleaner according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0018] FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional side view showing a main
portion of an air cleaner according to one embodiment of the
invention;
[0019] FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional side view showing a main
portion of an air cleaner according to one embodiment of the
invention;
[0020] FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional side view showing a main
portion of an air cleaner according to one embodiment of the
invention; and
[0021] FIG. 8 is a enlarged sectional side view showing a main
portion of an air cleaner according to one embodiment of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention will be
described referring to FIGS. 1 through 8, wherein like numerals
refer to like elements.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, a housing 12 of an air cleaner 10
according to the present exemplary embodiment is formed of
composite resin, and is divided into a lower housing 16 which
serves as a second housing having an inlet port 14, and an upper
housing 20 which serves as a first housing having an outlet port
18. That is, the upper surface of the lower housing 16 and the
lower surface of the upper housing 20 are respectively open.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 3, along the outer periphery of an open
portion 20A of the upper housing 20 is formed a well-known clamp
receiver 26. Meanwhile, although not shown, a plurality of
well-known brackets are individually formed at predetermined
intervals along the outer periphery of an open portion 16A of the
lower housing 16. By catching clamps using metal spring material
which are attached to these brackets on the clamp receivers 26 of
the upper housing 20, the lower housing 16 and the upper housing 20
can be coupled together.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 5, a rib 30 is formed from an inner wall
20B near the open portion 20A of the upper housing 20 along the
flow of intake air (arrow W in FIG. 1) within the upper housing
20.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of these ribs 30 are formed
at predetermined intervals along the periphery of the open portion
20A. On some of these ribs 30, a pin 32 for heat caulking is
provided vertically as an installation portion.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 5, the pin 32 for heat caulking is provided
vertically on an end portion 30A on the open portion side of the
ribs 30. The pin 32 is inserted into an installation hole 48
provided in a resin frame 46, which serves as a frame for holding
an outer periphery 44A of an adsorbent sheet 44.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of installation holes 48 are
formed along the periphery of the resin frame 46. Each installation
hole 48 has an open portion 47.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 6, the pin 32 for heat caulking is such
that a tip end portion 32A thereof is able to be heat caulked. The
end portion 30A on the open portion side of the ribs 30 becomes a
seat portion which receives the resin frame 46 when the adsorbent
sheet 44 is installed.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of engaging hooks 31, which
serve as installation portions, are formed on the inner wall 20B
near the open portion 20A of the upper housing 20, in locations
such that they do not overlap with the ribs 30, along the periphery
of the open portion 20.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 7, by pushing the resin frame 46 of the
adsorbent sheet 44 upward with respect to the open portion 20A (the
direction of arrow A in FIG. 7) of the upper housing 20, the
engaging hooks 31 engage with the installation holes 50 formed in
the resin frame 46 of the adsorbent sheet 44.
[0032] As shown in FIG. 1, on an outer peripheral portion of an
element 22 is formed a flexible outer peripheral frame 22A that is
made of non-woven fabric and formed integrated with the element 22.
This outer peripheral frame 22A is fitted between the open portion
20A of the upper housing 20 and the open portion 16A of the lower
housing 16.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 8, a plug portion 52 is formed protruding
toward the resin frame 46 of the adsorbent sheet 44 near the outer
peripheral frame 22A on the element 22. Among the installation
holes 48 formed in the resin frame 46 of the adsorbent sheet 44, an
installation hole 48 in which the pin 32 provided vertically on the
rib 30 is not fixed, or among installation holes 50, not shown, an
installation hole 50 in which an engaging hook 31 is not engaged,
is plugged by a upper surface 52A of the plug portion 52. The plug
portion 52 is formed with a non-woven fabric such that when the pin
32 or the engaging hook 31 is fixed in the installation holes 48,
50, the plug portion 52 abutting against the pin 32 or the engaging
hook 31 deforms easily.
[0034] Next, an operation of the present exemplary embodiment will
be described.
[0035] According to the present exemplary embodiment, there is at
least one more of both the installation holes 48 and the
installation holes 50 provided in the resin frame 46 of the
adsorbent sheet 44 than there are pins 32 and engaging hooks 31
respectively provided on the upper housing 20. Because of this, the
pins 32 and the engaging hooks 31 provided on the upper housing 20
may be located anywhere so long as they correspond to one of the
plurality of installation holes 48 and installation holes 50 in the
adsorbent sheet 44, as shown in FIG. 2. As a result, a common
adsorbent sheet 44 is able to be used with air cleaners 10 in which
the locations of the pins 32 and engaging hooks 31 provided on the
upper housing 20 differ.
[0036] Moreover, because there is at least one more of both the
installation holes 48 and the installation holes 50 provided in the
resin frame 46 of the adsorbent sheet 44 than there are pins 32 and
engaging hooks 31 respectively provided on the upper housing, the
adsorbent sheet 44 can be easily removed from the upper housing 20
when the adsorbent sheet 44 is to be recycled. This can be done
using an installation hole 48 and an installation hole 50 which are
not being used, by means such as engaging a tool in the
installation hole 48 and/or the installation hole 50, for
example.
[0037] Moreover, according to the present exemplary embodiment,
among the installation holes 48, 50, an installation hole 48, 50 in
which the pin 32 or the engaging hook 31 is not fixed is plugged by
the plug portion 52 provided with the element 22. This prevents
fuel vapor from leaking out from the installation holes 48, 50 in
which the pin 32 or the engaging hook 31 are not fixed.
[0038] Although the invention has been described herein with
reference to a specific embodiment, many modifications and
variations therein will readily occur to those skilled in the art.
Accordingly, all such variations and modifications are included
within the intended scope of the invention. For example, in the
foregoing exemplary embodiment the pin 32 and the engaging hook 31
are formed on the upper housing 20, which serves as the first
housing. Alternatively, according to other embodiments, the pin 32
and the engaging hook 31 may be formed on the lower housing 16,
which serves as the second housing.
[0039] Also, according to the foregoing exemplary embodiment, the
installation hole 48 having the open portion 47 is formed in the
resin frame 46 of the adsorbent sheet 44. According to other
embodiments, however, the installation hole 48 may be formed as a
round hole, without the open portion 47.
[0040] Moreover, according to the foregoing exemplary embodiment,
the resin frame 46 is used as the frame. According to other
embodiments, however, the frame is not limited to being the resin
frame 46, but may be a frame of another material, such as a metal
frame.
[0041] While the invention has been described with reference to
preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the
invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments or
constructions. To the contrary, the invention is intended to cover
various modifications and equivalent arrangements. In addition,
while the various elements of the preferred embodiments are shown
in various combinations and configurations, which are exemplary,
other combinations and configurations, including more, less or only
a single element, are also within the spirit and scope of the
invention.
* * * * *